Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-10-06
THE GRAND ARMY.
Rainy Day Spells the Parade Arrange.
ment.
Hearty Reception by the Citizens OF
81. Louis.- Large Attendance
OF the Veterans.


ST.. LOUIS, Sept. 27.--Owing to "a steady
fall of rain the Grand Army review has
been postponed until 10 o'clock Wednes.
day morning. On all the railroads lead
ing into the city excursion trains were
side-tracked, hours late, while those
brought through the tunnel damned all
the tracks. No such crowds were ever
hauled in this city in such short time.
Governors from the following States are
here: Illinois, Wisconsin. Missouri, Cali.
fornia, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa,
and Virginia.
Rain. mud and gloom played havoc with
Grand Army arrangements to-day, and
when the grand parade was given up the
boys had nothing TO do but hunt up places
OF amusement The veterans came 70 see
the sights and they marched about until
the streets were sogged with mud. In the
State headquarters at Lindell hotel crowds
jammed the doors and for hours comrades
gathered around the famous manned staff
of Governor Rusk. The registration con.
| tinued necessarily, but still not one-quar-
| ter of the men in the city enrolled their
names OF all the States represented,
Kansas reports the greatest number of
soldiers. with Illinois following then prob
ably Iowa and Missouri, and enough are
from all quarters to give good expression
of opinion from every department A
petition is being generally signed asking
| Congress to pass a bill for the relief of in.
digent veterans Such bill it is said will
be agreed upon by the encampment.
Delegates to the convention have been
| moving about visiting different bodies to.
day and settling In their minds the best
man for Commander in Chief. Gen. Sher-
man, it is understood, has declined to ac-
cept office under any circumstances 1t
is generally conceded he would be chosen
without opposition il he would accept
Among the other candidates there seems
to be no material advantage. The third
national convention of the Womans' Re.
lief Corps meets at the same time as the
twenty-tirst annual encampment Of the
Grand Army of the Republic. Their con.
vention will be called to order at Har-
monte hall at 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning. The Presidents report for
the year just closed has been
given out and shows large in
crease in membership. During the year
$50, l06 was distributed in charity. This
does not represent the thousands Of visits
TO the sick and destitute, or food and
luxuries donated The Grand Army
Committee on Pensions recommended
that the ladies push the bill for the penl
sioning of army nurses.
AT 1880 o. clock this evening the aides
on the staff of COMMUNICATIVE Chief Fair
child assembled at the Generals quarters
with their friends and presented to him a
badge of past COMMUNICATIVE chief. Gen.
Fairchild was visibly affected and in
thanking his staff displayed his attach
ment to them and commended their 10y
atty to the Grand Army. While friends
were extending congratulations comrade
Cook, on behalf of the staff, presented a
gold watch to Adjutant Gray.
! A grand reception was given this even
ing at the Merchants Exchange by the
citizens of st. Louis, and the hall was
jammed with veterans. Mayor Francis
extended hearty welcome to the Grand
Army. General Fairchild responded to
| the cordial greeting by the assurance that
| there never was moment when the
members of the Grand Army doubted the
hospitable reception they would receive.
They had come with hearts full of respect
and love for the city and citizens, and
should leave with feeling of love and
| pleasure To the men who wore the
gray he could say that they met them
with feelings of love and confidence and
extended to them the right hand Of fell
lowship. The Grand Army did not dig
up the Ratchet or wave the bloody shirt.
There never had been, from 1851 to the
| present time, among the comrades a
thought of feeling or malice toward the
South. AS his voice died out call for
General Sherman was followed by dog
en- more and then food of cheers, but
che General gave no sign of response.
Mayor Francis seized the opportunity of
lull to introduce ex-Vice President
| Hannibal Hamlin. The gray haired old
man was greeted with storm of APP
plause and during the short and eloquent
address was frequently interrupted by
prolonged cheers. Gov. Ogelsby, of
| Illinois, kept up the enthusiasm by a
| jocular assault on Gen. Sherman for not
responding to the repeated calls. AS he
retired, the name of Sherman once more
| rang out and an ovation greeted Uncle
Billy as he arose to answer the call In
abiding 10 the war the General said he
had many friends on the other side. He
then thought they were in error. He be.
| lieyed they were becoming convinced of
| this themselves, and he knew they were
| In error; at any rate they were returning
to that old friendly feeling There were
some black sheep, he knew. but they
would not be here long; they would soon
die off, thank God, and this would be a
better and stronger Nation. He believed
this was the strongest Nation on earth
| for be had concluded that no other power
could ever have overcome such q formid
able rebellion. and he looked with pride
upon the flag that commands peace and
enforces it. Before him were the forces
of soldiers, they still live and their spirits
will five forever, for they will teach their
children and generations to come princi-
Piles that must rule the land. II the con-
stitution must be improved, the defect, he
said, must be pointed out, but not destroy
ed by civil war. He repeated Mayor
Francis welcome and emphasized the
| feeling that the Union sentiments Of the
Mayor were good enough for him. To
morrow he said the BOYS would show
their appreciation of their welcome by a
grand parade, and at 10 o'clock they
would march, rain or shine. for such has
been the order of the Commander-in-
Chief As the echo died out the band
struck up Marching through Georgia"
| the veterans caught up the tune and the
hall re-cchoed with chorus of four
thousand voices. Governor Thayer, OF
Nebraska, Gen. Sprague. Of Rhode Is.
land, and other honored guests made
short speeches.
II. LOUIS. Sept. 2S.-The rain continues
20 come down steadily. Grand Marshal
Grier has issued an order to prepare
| for parade. The order to fall In
for parade was received at the va
rious camps and headquarters shortly
after 8 and the men turned out with rub
Der coats, umbrellas, and trowsers rolled
up. Shortly before II o'clock the column
was formed and the procession started
headed by an escort of officers. Then
followed Grand Marshal Grier with his
Chief-of-Staff and Aides. Logan Post r.
81. Louis. mounted. and Springfield; Mass,
special escort to the COMMANDMENTS chief,
his staff preceded twenty carriages con-
tanning war, Government and other
honored guests. In the lead was one
occupied by Mayor Francis and General
Sherman. Then followed divisions vi the
Grand Army, ten in number. The
Department of the Missouri, commanded
by Col. Wilson Cate, was given the right
OF the line. AS the column passed under
q stained glass TRANSPARENCY Of General